Improvement in ironing apparatus



W..SPRAGUE.

momma APPARATUS.

No. 179,739. Patented July 11, 1876.

WITNESS 'INVENTCJR ENTERS HO'I'O-UMAPMER, WASHINGYOX, D C.

PATENT QFFIGE.

WILLIAM SPRAGUE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT lN IR ONING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.

179,739, dated July 11, 1876; application filed December 17, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM SPRAGUE, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania,'have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ironing and Starching Machines, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification:

My invention relates to an improvement in ironing and starching machines, being, in tended to be used in large establishments, or such as use steam or other like power, but I do not confine myself to the use ot'such power, as. the machine may be run either by treadle or crank.

The objects endeavored to be gained by this machine are the easy and rapid moving of the material to be ironed under the ironer by means of a moving top or table, the raising or lowering of the ironer from the work, and easy stopping of the machine.

Referring to the drawing being a part of this specification, a full and accurate description is given, Figure 1 being a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan, having the ironing-board and corresponding part dotted in.

G G, Fig. 1, is a side elevation of the legs or frame of the table-supporting posts F F, Fig.2, and dovetails L L. A A is a double U-shaped frame, having between its upper sides a sliding head, d, which has suspended from its lower side a ball or universal joint, 1' e, holding the hollow or box-shaped smoothing-iron gf. The sliding head (1 and smoothing-iron g f are moved backward and forward between the sides of the frame A A by means of crank H and connections 0 d, the crank H 1 being supported by hearings in the upper part of posts F F, Fig. 2, and forming the axle of the U-shaped frame A A and a sliding friction-disk, a a, and pulley I).

From the lower side of the U-sha-ped frame A A is suspended a rod, 0, being connected with a balanced treadle, G. This enables the operator at will to raise or lower the.

smoothing-iron toor from the ironingboard h h. In the same manner-by means of a balanced treadle, B, and rod B. connected with lever T, and operating rocker-shaft J and arm T, which clasps disks a a at t t, Fig. 2- the machine may be started or stopped.

K K is an intermediate sliding plane between the ironing-board h h and dovetailed guides L L, having dovetails upon its lower side corresponding with those of guides L L, running at right angles with the longitudinal length of the machine, and on its upper side dovetails corresponding with those in the lower side of the ironing-board h h, and run ning at right angles to those of L and K.

It will thus be seen that by moving plane K K to the right or left, and board h it backward and forward, a large surface can be brought under-the ironer without moving the material upon the board.

These motions are producedby the operator by means of knobs M and N, knob N extending its shaft at through knob M to beveled wheels X X, and, rotating the gear-wheel V interlocked with the teeth of rack S, moves the top h h backward and forward. The gearwheel V is feathered to, but slides longitudinally on, shaft 3 Fig. 2, so as to follow the toothed rack S when the top h h is moved through gear-wheel 0 and rack S, moves plane K K to the right or left. By this means knobs M or N may be used at one and the same time, or independently of each other.

It will be easily seen that this machine may also be used as a starching-machine by simply substituting a starch-rubber, faced with gum or other suitable material, in place of the smoothing-iron gf.

I claimlhThe frame A, sliding head d (I, hollow smoothing-iron g f, in combination with ironing-board h h, intermediate sliding plane K K, and guides L L, with their corresponding described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with the top h h, intermediate plane K K, and pinion-racks S and S, the knob N, shaft a, beveled wheels X X, gear-wheel V, and knob M and wheel 0, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with frame A A, frictiondisk 0, a, and pulley I), the arm T, rock-shaft J, lever 1, rod B, and treadle B, as above described and set forth.

WILLIAM SPRAGUE.

Witnesses:

HERBERT M. FULLER, ALLEN J. FULLER.

right or left. In the same manner knob M,

dovetails and pinion-racks, substantially as 

